Ever since China stopped importing recyclable materials from the US several years ago, we have been hearing from people who say they believe recycling doesn’t matter anymore, and that everything is just going to the landfill anyway, so why bother? But the facts are that our state is home to over 300 recycling companies, a number which actually grew last year, bringing with them over $4 billion in capital investments, and over 1,800 new jobs. Mike Switzer interviews Anna DeLage, recycling market development manager at the SC Dept. of Commerce.

In case you didn’t know, the 90-mile corridor between Columbia and Charlotte sees more than 145 million people passing through each day. It’s an area that encompasses five South Carolina counties and two metropolitan areas with almost 3.5 million people. That’s a lot of potential commerce and economic development which is why our next guest’s organization was formed. Mike Switzer interviews Chris Finn, the current president and CEO of the I-77 Alliance.

On this edition of The Journal, Rachel Gordin Barnett and Lyssa Kligman Harvey tell some of the stories and recipes from their book, Kugels & Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina (2023, USC Press). In the book, Lyssa and Rachel celebrate the unique and diverse food history of Jewish South Carolina. They have gathered stories and recipes from diverse Jewish sources – including Sephardic and Ashkenazi families who have been in the state for hundreds of years as well as more recent immigrants from Russia and Israel.In our conversation today, we’ll explore how these cherished dishes were influenced by available ingredients and complemented by African American and regional culinary traditions.

This week we will talk with Dr. Bernard Powers about the establishment of the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC. Bernie powers is professor emeritus of history at the College of Charleston and is director of the college’s Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston. He is also on the Board of Directors of the International African American Museum.Bernie is in a unique position to tell the story of the Museum, as he has been involved in the efforts to create the institution from the start - 23 years ago. He will talk with us about those efforts, the evolution of the concept behind the museum, and about some of the stories that the museum strives to tell.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for December 9, 2023: a recap and clips of the 4th Republican presidential primary that took place on Dec. 6 in Tuscaloosa; analysis of the debate with Nikki Haley’s former Chief of Staff, Rob Godfrey; and more.Leave us a voicemail at 803-563-7169 to share your thoughts about the topics covered on the show or just whatever's on your mind!You can subscribe to South Carolina Lede in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow the show on Twitter @SCLedePod.

This episode of the South Carolina Lede for December 5, 2023 features a look at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s recent swing through the Palmetto State; the 4th Republican debate coming up on Wednesday; Sen. Lindsey Graham’s take on the Israel-Hamas conflict; and more.Leave us a voicemail at 803-563-7169 to share your thoughts about the topics covered on the show or just whatever's on your mind!You can subscribe to South Carolina Lede in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow the show on Twitter @SCLedePod.